Robert of Gloucester

Robert of Gloucester (1090-31 October 1147) was the illegitimate son of Henry I of England and the half-brother of Empress Matilda of England. He was the leader of the rebels during The Anarchy of 1135-1154, fighting against his cousin Stephen of Blois over the crown of the Kingdom of England. In 1141 he captured King Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln, but he was captured soon after, and Matilda exchanged the prisoners. Matilda was defeated at the Rout of Winchester, and she returned to France, while Robert died in 1147 at Bristol Castle of natural causes.

Biography
Robert of Gloucester was born in 1090 to the House of Normandy, a dynasty of Catholic English. He was the illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, but he was unable to succeed him on his death in 1135 due to his illegitimacy. On 23 December 1125 Count Stephen of Blois, Henry's nephew and a loyal subject of his, was acclaimed as King of England by the people of London. Robert was said to have been one of the pillars of Stephen's rule, but he later supported his half-sister Matilda of England's claim to the throne of England as the only surviving legitimate heir(ess) of her father. Robert backed her, and "the Anarchy" rebellion raged from 1135 to 1154. Robert defeated and captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, but Robert was captured at the Rout of Winchester and captured himself. Matilda traded Robert for Stephen, losing her opportunity to become the new Queen of England. Matilda went on to return to France, while Robert died of natural causes in 1147 at Bristol.